AN advanced remote control humanoid has caught the eyes of experts who believe such technology could be used to colonise Mars.
The teleoperated robot has been built by Chinese firm Unitree Robotics, the company behind the 'world's fasted humanoid' and a line-up of robodogs.
The clip above shows a man using an Apple Vision Pro headset to remote control the humanoid robot.
The man can stretch his arms, and roll punches, with the robot capable of copying them with next to no delay.
The human operator is able to move objects into a box via the robot, which onlookers joked they wanted to use in future teleoperated robot fighting.
"Let’s use this to create a robot cage fighting league," one person joked in a comment beneath the video on YouTube.
While some people were more keen on teleoperated robots for when they reach retirement age, experts reckon teleoperated robots such as these could be used to colonise Mars.
Paul Kostek, a senior member at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), told The Sun: “Teleoperated robots would be an invaluable tool in the early stages of setting up a colony, helping find essential sources needed for building and sustaining an environment that is safe for humans or an early crew.
"This could include sending autonomous mining equipment to Mars to create or clear landing areas, search for water and other minerals before the crew arrives.
"Upon arrival the crew can use the teleoperated systems to build permanent structures either above or below ground.”
Doing so could eliminate a number of issues humans will encounter when trying to establish a permanent base on the Red Planet.
“Robotic systems would limit the exposure of humans to the harsh Mars environment, including cold, radiation and storms," Kostek added.
"From a safety perspective, this would limit possible injuries to crew from construction accidents, maintenance operations and emergency scenarios.
"For example, in the event of a storm, the crew would be able to send a telepresence robot out to make a repair.”
Elon Musk has been vocal about his plans to colonise Mars in the 2050s - and is currently test launching the rocket for the job.
In March, former chairman of Ukraine's national space agency turned cosmic entrepreneur, Volodymyr Usov, warned that its our biology that is most holding us back from colonising the Red Planet.
Violent weather, dangerous amounts of radiation, and the effects of low gravity on the body are just a handful of the risks astronauts heading to Mars will face.
But humans using teleoperated robots could build weather and radiation resistant habitation without ever touching down on the surface, according to Kostek.
It could even bring forward Musk's timeline for a self-sustaining colony, which the billionaire currently forecasts for 2050.
"Robots could in fact be situated on Mars, and operated from Earth, given the recent advancements in teleoperated robotics technology," said Kostek.
"Moreover, if automated robotic systems could operate 24/7, this would shorten the time to create shelters and other operational requirements to support a colony.”
Paolo Pescatore, tech analyst at PP Foresight, explained that while appetite for spatial computers like Apple's Vision Pro is waiting to take-off on Earth - there will be "plentiful enterprise opportunities" in the future.
He added: "Developing humanoid robots is a complex undertaking and requires huge processing power and advanced AI models.
"By collaborating with key players, all is achievable.
"This latest development represents a key step into reaching galaxies that previously would have been unreachable."
It's not that short of a trip...
